Library Talks & Performing Arts

SHEANA KEANE – Our MC and Library Host

As a broadcaster with RTE and Virgin media for over 14 years, Sheana Keane anchored TV shows such as The Afternoon show, Health Squad and a range of documentary series.

She is also psychologist working with some of the world’s leading tech and consulting companies.  She works with leaders and teams spread across the globe exploring mindsets and behaviours that foster personal growth, develop positive relationships and create inclusion and belonging for all at work.  

Sheana holds an MA in Social Psychology, an MSc in Mindfulness Psychology and is a Phd researcher in University College Dublin. http://www.sheanakeane.com

Sheana is interviewing these wellbeing leaders as part of the library talks for the Lisnavagh Wellness Festival this coming weekend

‍DR JOLANTA BURKE: Stop trying to be Happy

‍Dr Jolanta Burke is Associate Professor in the Centre for Positive Psychology and Health at the Royal College of Surgeons.  A tireless scientist and researcher she has run countless studies and experiments focused on what makes our lives better.  Jolanta was listed in the Irish Times top 30 people who make Ireland a better place.   She writes for Psychology Today and is the author of 8 books.  Jolanta will discuss her latest book, a treasure trove of 100+ positive psychology tools to enhance wellbeing based on current science and research.  When we met last week, she started our conversation with “Sheana, trying to be happy is bad for you……”. So that’s where we’ll begin our conversation this Sunday 16th in the library and get a peek into the latest insights to come out of this exciting field of psychology.  https://jolantaburke.com

DR KAREN WARD – Ageless Ageing
Dr Karen Ward has been a practicing psychotherapist for over 20 years. The resident therapist on RTEs, ‘The Health Squad’ and BBCs ‘Last Resort’, she is the author of a number of books on health and well-being.

Karen is also a practicing Shaman and has spent more than two decades working and learning from indiginous tribe elders and spiritual leaders around the world. She is the co-founder of Sli na Chroi, School of Irish Celtic Shamanism.

On Saturday 15th October, I’ll be in conversation with her about her latest book, The Secrets of Ageless Ageing, number 3 on the Irish Times best seller list this summer.  In this book she brings us through a celebration of middle age. We’ll chat about wisdom, personal growth, arguing wisely with our partners and reinventing ourselves.  She brings to this book everything she has learned from working with countless individuals and couples as well as her experiences spending time with indigenous elders, healers and tribe leaders. https://drkarenwardtherapist.ie

PAM BUTLER: Yoga beyond the physical
Pam Butler has been a resident Yoga teacher at Lisnavagh for over a decade. She is zen, cool and intelligent.  She has been studying and teaching Hatha and Shadow Yoga for over 25 years. She is also a director of Astrea, an organisation that guides people through change by focusing on big picture thinking – what’s it all about, who am I, what’s the meaning of life.

This Sunday 16th October, we’ll chat about yoga being more than just a physical and relaxation practice but a framework for self-observation and self-exploration. This ancient yogic philosophy, practiced through the physical body is a guide to how we can behave in this world.  It offers a code of conduct, of truthfulness, contentment, doing no harm, non-grasping, non-greed.  This is a conversation about self-awareness, mindfulness and enlightenment. What it means in our day-to-day lives and how Yoga can guide us there.  https://pambutleryoga.com

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Dr Jolanta Burke is a senior lecturer in the Centre for Positive Psychology and Health at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. She lectures on topics such as well being, positive education, positive leadership, positive health and research. She loves writing and has written many books and has contributed to many journals and professional magazines.

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The Irish Times acknowledges her as one of 30 people who make Ireland a better place. Her talk with Sheana Keane entitled "Don't Worry Stop Trying to be Happy" will educate us on how to truly flirt in life.

Aoife Dé Danann is a daughter of the land of Éire, devoted to remembering the indigenous ways of her beloved native land.

Aoife is a ceremonialist, fire-keeper, musician, herbalist, student and guide of tradition. Facilitating ancestral-based events on the solar alignments, she also offers tours around different sacred sites throughout Éire.

Aoife has been on a path of reclaiming her own Gaelic Indigenity and a vital ingredient has been relearning an Ghaeilge. Through the act of conversing with the land, plants, trees and elements trí Gaeilge, Aoife has experienced a deep remembrance of her native language, which she shares in her ceremonies and offerings. Aoife will be participating in a panel led by Siobhán de Paor, ''Irish, the language of the new paradigm''.

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Climate change and Us: the science, reasons for concern, and, why we had best face it together.

A short presentation and question-led discussion of climate change realities and pathways to a best possible future.

Paul Price is a climate change science and policy researcher at Dublin City University, currently a Carbon Budget Fellow funded by the Climate Change Advisory Council. Separately, he's a founder and continuing member of An Taisce's climate change committee.

Before waking up to climate change: an honours degree in geology and television production in Canada; and, for 25 years, a professional craftsman, designing, making and repairing new and historic oak framed buildings, in England, Scotland, and Ireland – most recently, carpentering jointed and pegged, traditional oak frames from the farmyard at Lisnavagh, including work on five towerhouse castle roofs, two bridges, and many other timber structures.

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Moving from a Bangkok penthouse to a rural Irish cottage while pregnant with a third child was a radical transition.

The stabilising influence of a personal yoga practice provided some internal tranquility.

Deciding to pursue this practice more deeply, Pam earned her yoga teaching qualification and initiated a training business in her rural community where she has introduced yoga to over 1,000 people, from children to over 80s.

Pam continues to train with the Shadow yoga school and shares this style of yoga with her community.

She has also built a rural hospitality business and develops and delivers astraea’s system change courses and retreats. 

Prior to changing course, Pam was a marketing and HR executive for Dow Jones Telerate and Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong. She holds a BA, a Diploma in Journalism and an MBA.

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Tom is a system change entrepreneur who left a successful venture capital career to explore how to  balance profit with people and planet. 

Since leaving the security of a burgeoning career in venture capital over two decades ago, he has developed system change methods for personal, organisation and global development while testing their viability in a wide range of areas. These  include  organic and biodynamic food production on a  smallholding, opening an organic vegetarian restaurant in London, natural building techniques and community design, SRI and ethical asset management,  hospitality, and personal development using open systems and big picture thinking approaches. His involvement in raising four children made the process much more real!

His books Common Sense (2014) and How to get Rich and Famous (2017) outline the global systems in which we operate, why they need to change, and how to begin making that change.

Prior to changing course Tom managed venture capital investments in SMEs.  He has a BSc in finance from Wharton and an MBA from IMD.

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Siobhan de Paor is a file dhá-theangach. A bi-lingual bard. A writer, theatre maker, actor and tutor.    She is a survivalist revivalist of the our native tongue and rites. She co-founded the Wild Irish initiative which creates the conditions for personal rewilding as Gaeilge.  She is currently writing an Irish-language screenplay on motherhood. 

Performance: Táim ag Teacht (I am coming) Go from the pit to the tip in a spoken word show

Siobhan will talk about the national shift back to the Irish language, and how it is a natural movement in tandem with the shift back to Nature-centred living. Touching on the possibilities for the collective consciousness of Ireland if the language were revived.  

Working Title: When we are Celts again: Irish as the language of the new paradigm

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Deirdre Lane is the Founder of ShamrockSpring, an empowering and advisory, Environmental NGO based on the end of the Bog of Allen. The ShamrockSpring eco activist organisation networks are extensive and share greener living solution.

Ms Lane worked in Finance establishing transparency in Global commodity trading venues and now devotes herself to raising awareness on environmental and disruptive climate change solutions.

In her roles she represents the broad interests of the commodity, energy  and carbon markets, and now communities, as she meets with domestic and international leaders to advance information and unearth partnerships to develop regenerative results.

Deirdre writes and speaks extensively in her roles in regenerative and environmental matters.

As UN SDG advocate Ms Lane facilitates intersectionality sustainable awareness events and is an AONTAS member running student, adult and community educational training e.g. UCD4Sustainability https://www.ucd4sustainability.com/ https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/festival-food-sovereignty

Qualified as a ZeroWaste trainer Ms Lane plotted part of Europe’s Circular Economy Club https://www.circulareconomyclub.com/ waste reduction drivers.

Ms Lane sits on a number of working groups and has extensive social media outreach.  

Ms. Lane promotes sustainable inclusive affordable development as part of Positive https://www.postv.net/Regenerative business grouping, Abundance Foundation International https://abundantearthfoundation.org/ and locally with Kildare Community for Climate action /Kilcock for Climate Action and to those with Business interests in the Community.

Ms. Lane Runs the Kildare Environmental Network (KEEN) an environmental NGO which raises awareness and participates in public policy as part of the Irish Environmental Pillar and nationally https://environmentalpillar.ie/ppn/local-environmental-networks/.  She is the Environmental Representative on the Secretariat of the Public Participation Network for Kildare and the National Local Environment Network.

A UN SDG advocate since 2015 MS Lane is deeply involved in climate policy and mobilisation. In her role in FEASTA, Foundation for Economics of Sustainability https://www.feasta.org/, she articulates how a necessary just transition can be effected and promotes the implementation of measures required for this purpose.Communication as a member of FEASTA and their representative at the Stop Climate Chaos Mobilisation and Policy group https://www.stopclimatechaos.ie/, part of the Peoples Climate and 350.orghttps://world.350.org/ireland/ movements Ms Lane also worked internationally, and participated in skill shares with GreenPeace and 350.org and AVAAZ.

A passionate Educator in Sustainable Energy Community she is a coordinator of knowledge shares for SECs

As Co founder of Cottage Market Newbridge, and on the national markets body, Ms Lane acts as knowledge broker and creates exchange hubs for sustainable and locally sourced goods. She set up a market for 35 micro sustainable businesses, continues to nurture resilience in the local economy and is an adviser on national food sovereignty https://www.facebook.com/thecottagemarketnewbridge/

Ms Lane is active in working groups on wool, Peat Free solutions, International Plastic Free solutions including running the local conscious coffee cup awareness, Women in Carbon, She is Sustainable, Green Money Week, Climate Cocktails, Green Drinks, CLEMG Central London Energy Management Group sharing good practice in energy and environmental management, WWF Earth Hour Ambassador for Ireland, Community Wetlands Forum/ Irish Rural Link, Kinder to Earth, Ecolise Global EcoVillage Network , Global Harmonies Women of the world, Dublin EcoFeminist, Musicians for Climate, Unite Newbridge group supporter BLM, World Clean up day, Dublin WebFest now London Short Film Festival /FilmNetwork Ireland, Young FOE member, and Permaculture Ireland US And European groups and part of Community Wetlands Forum and RePeat

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The House and the Story Behind it - www.lisnavagh.com

The McClintock Bunburys descend from Baron de St. Pierre, a Norman knight who served with William the Conqueror at the battle of Hastings in 1066. Part of the Bunbury family left Cheshire in the 1660s and settled in Co Carlow as tenants of the Duke of Ormonde until they purchased Lisnavagh in 1702. They became an important part of the ruling elite in Ireland during the late 17th century and, by 1860, the estate at Lisnavagh had evolved into one of the most advanced and efficient farms in the country. In 1879, Thomas McClintock Bunbury of Lisnavagh succeeded his uncle to become Lord Rathdonnell. His great-grandson Benjamin, the present Lord Rathdonnell, succeeded to Lisnavagh in 1959. Unlike many modernised historic homes, Lisnavagh House still retains all the original character and charm, allowing you to go back in time to the 19th Century.

Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan, two Irish cultural giants, were very different men but had much in common. Both died young, both spent time in British prisons and both conquered England and America with their literary genius, sparkling wit and rich personalities. Although from different social backgrounds they were equally at home in the great houses of Ireland. Brendan was a regular guest of the Guinness family at Luggala and In ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ Oscar called a character ‘Bunbury’ which is the family name of the Lisnavagh Rathdonnels.

This bespoke show is a mixture of song, performance and storytelling. It informs and amuses with hilarious and poignant excerpts from the best of Brendan’s and Oscar’s writings. And at just under half an hour, it is a perfect after dinner celebration of Irish humour and charm.

Philip Judge is one of Ireland’s leading actors and also an esteemed author. He has toured the states with the Abbey – Ireland’s national theatre – and he has regularly played on all the other major Dublin stages in a wide variety of new and classic plays. These naturally include most of Oscar Wilde’s works at the Abbey, the Gate and the Lyric as well as Brendan Behan’s ‘The Borstal Boy’ at the Gaiety. His other work on stage in London and New York, and in film and television is distinguished and various.  His full C.V. is available at www.firstcallmanagement.ie

Philip’s book In Sight of Yellow Mountain is published by Gill and  he will be reading an exert from this book also. Philip is a regular columnist for the Irish Times

Sasha Sykes (b.1976) is an Irish artist and sculptural furniture maker who works with acrylics and resins to explore, manipulate, and challenge the material language of the natural world.

Sasha’s work revolves around exposing and re-framing foraged and collected material – from simple life forms such as algae to complex structures such as bird’s nests – which she encapsulates in hand-cast resin to deliver an enviable level of technical perfection.

Having trained as an architect, her work is infused with a strong sense of form and composition which alongside the organic and natural materials defines the pieces she makes.

Sasha’s work has steadily increased in ambition and scale over the past 20 years, and is now featured in several important private and public collections including three significant pieces in the National Museum of Ireland (the Carlow Chair with woodland materials, The Wall screen inspired by Eileen Grey and stone walls of Leinster, and the As I Am Now chimneypiece referencing the decay of Georgian Ireland)

In 2015 Sasha broke new ground with a collection of cast bird nests in a sold-out show entitled Caliology (the word refers to the Victorian hobby of collecting bird’s nests) at the Oliver Sears Gallery in Dublin. Recent pieces include the 40-panel Gyre screen with seaweeds, the eight-panel folding screen Bloom! containing over fifty types of flower, and a fantastical re-interpretation of Shiro Kuramata’s iconic Miss Blanche chair based on a walk through an Irish country ditch.

Sasha’s work lives in the gaps between the superficialities, nurturing the hidden spaces that we tend not to see. Her pieces are both engaging and beautiful, but also offer a compelling commentary on human habit.

“My work is primarily influenced by the scale, approach and aesthetic of the Irish landscape. I like to explore the cycle of life and decay, and the dichotomy of fragility and preservation. I am particularly interested in mankind’s relationship with our surroundings, and expressing the nature of that interaction is central to my work. I like to work with unusual organic and locally found materials that tell intimate stories about the physical locality and expose man’s interaction with the natural habitat”

Sasha has work in numerous private and public collections including the National Museum of Ireland (Collins Barracks) and the Office of Public Works, and has been selected as part of the DCCOI Portfolio 2019/20

Mary Reynolds - Mary designs Arks and acts of restorative kindness to the earth.

She has come full circle with garden and landscape design. Now she wants you to give any land under your care back to nature, to re-wild, to be Arked. She can help you design a space that allows for the maximum amount of edges and ecotones, the most diverse range of habitats you can fit into your land. A magical place for your family to enjoy and protect, which will be hopping with life and beauty. A sanctuary for all of the native creatures that need it, places to rest and recover and finally thrive. She will guide you to understand how to step in and provide the ecosystem services required to maintain that diversity going forward, to replace the missing parts of the web of life that we have broken. To become the wolf, the deer, the beaver.

To be a Guardian, not a gardener. To be an Arkevist.

This will enrich your life in ways you cannot imagine, give it meaning and beauty.

Build an Ark and become part of the global movement to restore the earth back to health.

This service is available for private and public places. Every small patch of the planet that is restored to health, matters.

We Are The Ark: Returning Our Gardens to Their True Nature Through Acts of Restorative Kindness, with illustrations by Ruth Evans, will be published on 25 October by Timber Press and is available for preorder right now – click through for various options here or here at The Book Depository.

Dr. Karen Ward 

 In Secrets of Ageless Ageing Her book (Currently No. 3 Non-Fiction Irish Best Seller), Karen Ward takes her reader by the hand on a voyage of self-discovery and a celebration of middle age and beyond. Rather than be daunted by this experience, she gives sound practical advice and a common-sense approach to the inevitability that is growing older. Karen’s wise and witty touch is both humorous with a profundity which touches at truths that lie deep within our souls.

Secrets of Ageless Ageing touches on a range of topics from mid-life opportunity, mental adjustment, physicality to addressing society’s view of ageing and discovering new ways of being. These topics and more are viewed through a holistic lens offering useful advice in a conversational style.

About the author

Dr Karen Ward, Holistic Therapist on RTÉ’s Health Squad and BBC’s Last Resort, is a practising counselling psychotherapist. Her previous publications, include The Health Squad guide to Health (Onstream Publishing, 2007); Change a Little to Change a Lot (Merlin Publishing, 2009), author and co-editor, Soul Seers an Irish Anthology of Irish Celtic Shamanism (Acrobat, 2019) and author and co-producer of the annual Moon Mná Diary- Journal.

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